Modern understanding of risk factors and mechanisms of breast cancer development

Abstract

The article presents current data on the etiopathogenesis and risk factors of breast cancer (BC). The search for the sources was carried out in the PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, eLIBRARY, NHGRI-EBI Catalog of GWAS systems, publications from January 2000 to December 2022 were included. The interaction of definite risk factors, endocrine stimuli and genetic disorders causes activation / inactivation of various signaling pathways that directly or indirectly affect carcinogenesis. According to modern genetic evaluations, the contribution of the hereditary component to the formation of BC reaches 40 %. Interactiones between various risk factors form several molecular subtypes of breast carcinomas, differing in receptor status and clinical course, as well as therapeutic approaches. The details of the interaction of etiopathogenetic factors of BC are not clear, and often have a multidirectional character. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) regulate the mechanisms of proliferation and apoptosis, invasion and metastasis, formation of the tumor microenvironment, neoangiogenesis, as well as intergenic signaling interactions, being an important link in the pathogenesis of BC.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• risk factors
• biological mechanisms
• matrix metalloproteinases
• molecular subtypes of breast cancer